World class quarter-final bouts at the featherweight in the Balkan Women’s Tournament

Twelve contests were held in the second competition day at the new 7^th edition of the Balkan Women’s Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria. The women’s featherweight (57kg) delivered impressive quarter-finals and such big names as Liudmilla Vorontsova, Stanimira Petrova, Lacramioara Perijoc and Claudia Nechita advanced to the last four.

Boxers at the featherweight (57kg), lightweight (60kg), welterweight (66kg), light middleweight (70kg) and middleweight (75kg) were in action in the second competition day at the Balkan Women’s Tournament. The semi-finals will be held in the third day of boxing in this top Bulgarian international event.

Bulgaria, Chile, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Norway, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Uzbekistan and Wales are attending in the 7^th Balkan Women’s Tournament. Altogether 61 elite female boxer are competing in the event which is a preparation for the upcoming AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. The Technical Delegate of the Balkan Women’s Tournament is Mr. Viorel Sima of Romania.  

The safety of all participants, the continuous medical checks, the social distancing, the hygienic preparations, wearing masks and all of the health controls were the responsibility of the local organizers in Bulgaria avoid any new Covid-19 cases during the new edition of the Balkan Women’s Tournament.   

The bout of the day

Russia’s Liudmilla Vorontsova claimed silver medal at the 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships at the age of 20 and she qualified also for the Tokyo Olympic Games but the young talent was not able to reach top result in Japan. She returned to the international events immediately but she expected a tough battle against Finland’s 20-year-old Vilma Viitanen who earned several medals in her international events this year. Vorontsova felt the tempo in the first round and gained the control of their technician contest which was good promotion of boxing in Sofia. The Russian won their contest by split decision and advanced to the semi-finals at the difficult featherweight (57kg).

The Round-up

Bulgaria’s Stanimira Petrova is one of their most experienced female boxers who earned gold at the previous AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships and at the EUBC European Women’s Boxing Championships. The tall Bulgarian controlled her quarter-final over Switzerland’s veteran Sandra Brugger who turned to 40 this year and this is one of her last competitions during her long career. Petrova kept the best distance against the attacking Swiss and marched to the last four at the featherweight (57kg) in Sofia.

Romania’s two best female boxers compete in the same featherweight (57kg) in this 8^th Balkan Women’s Tournament. Firstly, their 2019 EUBC European Women’s Champion Lacramioara Perijoc managed to win her quarter-final against Russia’s Karina Khazhikanova with strong attacks. Secondly, Tokyo Olympic Games quarter-finalist Claudia Nechita won her second bout in the event, she was slightly better in the exchanges than Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Champion 19-year-old Sitora Turdibekova.

Chile’s lone boxer in the event is Italian-based Valentina Bustamante who demonstrated her rapid progress in the recent months. The experienced lightweight (60kg) boxer pressurized Romania’s Cristina Paula Cosma in the first round and took lead on the scorecards. Bustamante finished their battle in the second round with tough shots and the referee confirmed her RSC triumph. Italy’s former AIBA Women’s World Champion Alessia Mesiano also proved good performance on Day2 and eliminated France’s teenage hope Lorye Ruyer.  

France’s Emilie Sonvico won several international tournaments and she has done her debut at the new light middleweight (70kg) in Sofia. The experienced French used her height against Kosovo’s Albulena Gubetini and advanced to the next stage of boxing with outstanding performance. Her teammate, former Youth Olympian and currently 25-year-old Davina Michel also controlled her first contest in Sofia, she defeated Italy’s Carlotta Paoletti at the middleweight (75kg).